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THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 

MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


DISCOUESE 

DELIVEKED  AT  THE 

ONE  HUNDREDTH  ANNIVERSARY 

OF  THE  OnOANIZATION  OF  THE 

PIRST  BAPTIST   CHURCH 

IN    NORTH    STONINGTON, 

SEPTEMBER  20th,  1843. 

WITH  AS  APPEXDI-T. 


By  ALBERT  G.  PALMER, 

PASTOE  OF  THE  BAPTIST  CHURCH,  STONINGTOX  BOKO'. 


•the  entrance  of  thy  words  giveth  light.'   Psalm  cxix.  130. 


BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED  BY  GOULD,  KENDALL  &  LINCOLN, 

59   Washington    Street. 

1844. 


GEORGE  COOLIDGE,  PRINTER, 

57  Washington  Street. 


Rev.  a.  G.  Palmer, 

Dear  Sir: 

The  First  Baptist  Church  in 
North  Stonington,  are  happy  to  express  the  pleasure  they 
felt  in  listening  to  your  centennial  discourse,  delivered 
on  the  20th  September,  1843,  by  request,  and  through  the 
undersigned  ask  a  copy  for  publication. 
We  are  yours  in  the  gospel, 


Charles  Randall, 
Reuben    Chapman, 
Aaron  Thompson, 
Paul  Green, 
E.  B.  Pendleton, 
Asher  H.  Chapman, 

North  Stonington,  Sept,  23, 1843. 


ivri3iS760 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/discoursedelLverOOpalmricri 


DISCOURSE. 


•  Gather  the  people  together,  men,  and  women,  and  children,  and  thy  stranger 
that  is  within  thy  gates,  that  they  may  hear,  and  that  they  may  learn  and  fear 
the  Lord  your  God;  and  that  their  children  which  have  not  known  anything, 
may  hear  and  learn  to  fear  the  Lord  your  God.'     Dsdtsronomx  xxxi.  12,  13. 

'  The  annals  of  an  oppressed  and  struggling 
church,'  says  a  distinguished  historian,  *  are  far 
more  likely  to  afford  events  of  powerful  inter- 
est, than  those  of  a  dominant  hierarchy ;  for  it 
is  in  seasons  of  distress  and  suffering,  of  pri- 
vation, contumely,  and  persecution,  that  the 
loftier  passions  of  our  nature  are  elicited.'  It  is 
equally  true  that  in  circumstances  like  these,  the 
strength,  dignity,  and  glory  of  the  christian  char- 
ucter  is  most  fully  developed,  and  the  purity  of  a 
true  religion  most  clearly  exhibited.  Perhaps 
the  world  has  not  witnessed  a  brighter  illustra- 
tion of  these  remarks,  than  the  history  of  the 
trials,  conflicts,  and  sufferings  of  our  ow^n 
denomination  furnishes,  and  especially  the 
detailed  history  of  many  of  our  individual 
churches. 

1# 


From  the  slight  view  we  have  been  able  to 
take  of  this  field,  we  are  convinced  that  it  is 
rich  in  all  that  variety  of  moral  incident,  and 
rehgions  association,  which  one  might  desire 
as  an  inspiration  to  his  own  feelings,  as  well 
as  to  invest  its  history  with  interest  and  impor- 
tance. 

The  historical  incidents  of  many  of  onr  old- 
er chnrches,  are  few  and  scattered ;  a  single 
record  of  their  orginization,  with  a  few  rays  of 
traditionary  hght,  is  all  that  has  come  down  to 
us  from  this  most  interesting  period  of  their  ex- 
istence. Hence,  little  comparatively  can  be 
known  of  the  particular  circumstances  which 
gave  them  birth :  of  the  local  influences  which 
called  them  into  being ;  of  the  trials,  sufferings, 
conflicts,  through  which  they  were  called  to 
pass.  One  thing,  however,  is  certain,  that  if 
the  early  movements  of  our  denomination 
bear  but  an  ordinary  relation  to  those  which 
are  more  recent ;  if,  as  is  usually  the  case, 
persecution  and  suffering  increase  in  propor- 
tion as  we  go  back  to  the  rise  of  a  sect ;  then, 
in  the  circumstances  of  our  incipient  organiza- 
tion, there  must  have  been  trials  and  privations 
of  which  we  can  form  but  indistinct  conceptions. 


A  distant  and  general  view  of  tliese  times, 
based,  however,  upon  correct  data  respecting 
the  character  of  affairs  in  the  church,  is  all 
that  can  be  obtained.  Yet  even  this,  limited 
as  it  may  seem,  will  throw  much  light  upon 
the  subject;  and  if  we  can  succeed  in  collect- 
ing these  scattered  rays,  they  may  serve  as  a 
taper,  at  least,  to  guide  us  along  the  often  ob- 
scure path  of  our  early  history. 

The  only  record  that  can  be  found  of  the 
constitution  of  this  church,  is  as  follows :  '  1743 
the  First  Baptist  Church  in  Stonington  was 
constituted ;  Mr.  "Wait  Pahiier  was  ordained 
their  watchman  the  same  year.'  But  of  the 
names  and  numbers  of  its  original  members, 
of  the  churches  and  ministers  who  compos- 
ed the  council  of  recognition,  we  have  from 
the  records  no  information.  Indeed  there  is 
an  entire  blank  from  1743  to  1762,  embracing 
a  period  of  nineteen  years,  about  which  little 
can  be  known,  save  what  can  be  gleaned  from 
tradition,  and  collateral  history.  It  must  be 
borne  in  mind,  however,  that  the  date  which 
marks  the  rise  of  this  church,  carries  us  far 
back  into  the  history  of  our  denomination  in 
this  country.     Though  from  the  banishment  of 


8 


Williams,  Baptist  sentiments  had  prevailed  in 
Khode  Island,  and  were  gradually  making  pro- 
gress in  other  sections  of  the  country,  yet, 
*  about  this  time/  says  Backus,  '  there  appears 
to  have  been  but  ten  churches  in  Massa- 
chusetts, none  in  New  Hampshire,  none  in 
Vermont,  and  but  one  in  Connecticut.'  The 
First  Baptist  Church  in  Groton  was  constituted 
as  early  as  1705;  of  the  immediate  circum- 
stances of  its  origin  we  have  no  definite 
information. 

It  is,  however,  worthy  of  record,  that  the  date 
of  its  organization  is  the  same  that  marked  a 
general  combination  on  the  part  of  the  domi- 
nant ministry,  for  an  increase  of  power  over  the 
churches. 

Not  succeeding  in  Massachusetts,  the  ex- 
periment was  made  in  Connecticut  with  more 
success.  On  the  death  of  the  third  governor 
Winthrop  in  1707,  they  "succeeded  in  electing 
as  governor  a  clergyman  favorable  to  the 
scherne.  This  issued  in  the  construction  and 
establishment  of  a  form  of  discipline,  famous 
in  history  as  the  Sayhrook  Platform.  Whether 
the  dissatisfaction  arising  from  this  usurpation 
of  power  by  the  ministry,  in  many  sections  of 


the  state,  had  ai  lything  to  do  with  the  origin 
of  the  church  in  Groton,  we  have  not  been 
able  to  determine. 

Still  it  is  wortliy  of  notice,  as  illustrating  the 
providence  of  God,  that,  at  the  very  time  the 
ministry  were  seeking  to  bring  to  their  aid  the 
arm  of  civil  power,  in  the  government  of  the 
church,  God,  upon  the  very  soil  where  this 
unholy  alliance  was  being  consummated,  was 
raising  up  for  himself  a  people,  before  whose 
influence  this  Babel  of  iniquity  should  fall  to 
rise  no  more. 

It  is,  however,  to  be  inferred,  that  the  increase 
of  this  church  at  first  was  but  slow  and  gi-ad- 
ual.  During  the  space  of  twenty  years  it 
appears  to  have  called  into  existence  no  kin- 
dred organization;  this  is  indeed  somewhat 
surprising ;  but  the  cause  we  think  is  to  be 
found  chiefly  in  the  peculiar  character  of  the 
times.  The  year  1705  places  us  near  to  the 
early  settlement  of  the  country  ;  consequent- 
ly, it  may  be  supposed  that  the  adjoining  towns 
and  neighborhoods  were  but  thinly  inhabited, 
and  hence  the  facilities  for  a  wide  and  rapid 
diffusion  of  truth,  were  but  comparatively  few. 
In  addition  to  this,  the  educational  prejudices 


10 


of  the  people  were  everywhere  hostile  to  the 
distmguishing  sentiments  of  the  Baptists. 

The  ministry  of  the  prevailing  order  had 
succeeded  in  blending  the  ecclesiastical  and 
civil  administrations  ;  the  church  had  sought 
and  formed  an  alliance  with  the  state,  and  this 
unnatural,  unholy  connection,  as  it  always  has, 
produced  the  most  unnatural  and  unholy 
effects.  Intoleration,  persecution,  fines,  im- 
prisonments, whippings,  banishments,  and 
death;  these  are  among  the  dark  crimes, 
which  grow  immediately  out  of  this  illegiti- 
mate connection. 

Whether  the  church  in  Groton  felt  severely 
the  grasp  of  this  power  in  the  way  of  direct 
persecution,  we  are  not  able  to  say.  But  it  is 
evident,  that  a  body  so  feeble  as  this  church 
must  have  been  at  that  time,  could  not  fail  to 
have  been  retarded  in  its  progress,  by  an  oppo- 
sition so  powerful  as  that  of  the  church  and 
state  united. 

An  age  that  could  be  induced  to  sacrifice  the 
great  principles  of  religious  freedom,  to  yield 
the  high  prerogative  of  ecclesiastical  adminis- 
tration to  a  power,  from  whose  tyranny  and 
cruelty  it  had  but  just  escaped,  of  all  others 


11 


would  be  most  unfavorable  to  those  principles 
of  church  policy  which  have  ever  distinguished 
the  Baptist  denomination.  Men  who  can  be 
led  away  by  an  ambitious,  designing  priest- 
hood ;  men  who  will  not  take  the  trouble,  nor 
feel  the  responsibility  of  thinking  for  them- 
selves, are  the  very  last  men  to  renounce  pop- 
ular error,  or  to  embrace  unpopular  truth;  in 
other  words,  the  very  last  men  to  become  Bap- 
tists. And  that  this  was  the  character  of  the 
age  which  we  are  contemplating,  the  history 
of  both  church  and  state,  at  that  period,  plain- 
ly indicates. 

In  not  a  few  instances,  however,  the  meas- 
ure was  received  with  marked  disapproba- 
tion ;  and  in  some  cases,  met  with  open  and 
decided  resistance.  Hence  originated  a  species 
of  dissent,  or  separatism,  from  the  estab- 
lished order.  Separate  churches  sprung  up 
in  various  parts  of  the  country,  retaining  all  the 
characteristics  of  the  old  organization,  yet 
resisting  the  encroachments  of  the  ministry, 
repudiating  the  union  of  the  church  and  state, 
and  refusing  the  aid  of  the  civil  power  in  the 
administration  of  discipline.  As  a  consequence, 
there  arose  a  kind  of  sympathy  between  the 


12 


Baptists  and  these  Separatists,  which  in  some 
cases  resulted  in  a  sjjecies  of  union,  or  mixed 
communion;  a  state  of  things  most  unfavor- 
able to  our  ecclesiastical  purity,  and  hostile  to 
the  advancement  of  truth.  And  it  is  not  sur- 
prising, that  the  influence  of  Baptist  churches, 
consenting  to  this  injudicious  connection,  was 
not  more  widely  felt,  and  their  distinguishing 
sentiments  no  more  generally  embraced. 

In  addition  to  this,  the  general  tone  of  reli- 
gious feeling  in  the  prevaihng  church  was 
exceedingly  low ;  a  loose  and  dark  theology 
everywhere  prevailed ;  the  vital  doctrines  of  the 
gospel  were  unbelieved,  unpreached,  and  to  a 
great  extent  unknown.  Christianity  existed 
but  in  name  andyorm;  and  the  church,  so  far 
from  being  the  congregation  of  the  righteous, 
came  emphatically  to  be  the  congregation  of 
the  unrighteous,  the  repository  of  error,  and  the 
highway  to  death. 

An  impure  morality  was  substituted  for  ex- 
perimental piety ;  obedience  to  the  ministry 
and  the  magistracy,  took  the  place,  at  least  in 
matters  of  religious  discipline,  of  obedience  to 
God.  Hence  a  factious,  disputatious  spirit 
prevailed.     Men  were  occupied,  not  in  search- 


13 


in^  for  truth,  but  in  settling  questions  of 
civil  and  ecclesiastical  policy;  in  enforcing 
and  resisting  an  authority,  which,  on  the  one 
hand,  was  regarded  as  the  safeguard  of  the 
church,  but,  on  the  other,  as  illegitimate, 
profane,  and  anti-christian.  The  public  mind 
was  hence  kept  in  a  state  of  continued  excita- 
bility, and  the  warlike  passions  of  the  heart 
were  frequently  called  out  in  fierce,  unholy 
collision.  Still  this  state  of  things,  unhappy 
as  it  was,  was  not  altogether  unserviceable 
in  the  cause  of  truth.  Amid  these  commo- 
tions, men  began  to  be  enlightened  respecting 
the  true  character  of  Christ's  kingdom.  In 
resisting  what  they  were  forced  to  regard  as  a 
usurpation  of  authority  by  the  ministry,  they 
fled  to  the  scriptures,  and  studied  the  consti- 
tution of  the  church  as  therein  revealed,  and 
were  thence,  by  a  process  not  very  difficult  to 
understand,  frequently  led  the  entire  length  of 
truth,  touching  the  great  question,  not  only 
of  gospel  order,  but  also  of  gospel  ordinances. 
Hence,  in  immediate  connection  with  this  state 
of  things.  Baptist  sentiments  were  found  rap- 
idly spreading,  especially  in  those  sections 
where  separatisni'^u'eYdiiled ;  so  much  so,  that,  at 


14 


one  time,  as  Backus  states,  it  seemed  that  all 
these  churches  would  become  Baptists.  The 
church,  in  her  eagerness  to  bind  men  to  her  tra- 
ditions, had  compelled  them  to  adopt  the  Bible 
as  their  only  rule  oS^  faith  and  practice,  and  in  so 
doing  cut  the  cords  of  ignorance  and  super- 
stition, by  which  she  might  otherwise  doubtless 
have  held  them  longer  m  her  allegiance.  But 
so  Jiad  God  ordained.  The  time  had  come  when 
a  purer  spirit  was  to  go  forth  upon  the  earth  in 
the  name  of  Christianity ;  when  the  inward  life 
of  the  church  was  to  be  rekindled,  and  her  or- 
dinances in  their  primitive  purity  restored. 
For  when  we  once  admit  that  God  has  spoken 
to  us  in  his  word,  and  that  from  its  decisions 
there  can  be  no  appeal,  conscience  will  bind 
the  christian  to  all  its  requirements,  whether 
they  regard  the  internal  or  external  life,  the 
inner  sanctuary  of  the  church,  or  its  outward 
visible  forms  and  ordinances.  A  pure  Chris- 
tianity within,  always  secures  a  pure  Christianity 
ivithout,  so  far  as  the  understanding  is  enlightened 
as  to  its  requirements. 

Hence  it  is  an  interesting  historical  fact, 
that  the  more  general  rise  of  Baptist  senti- 
ments in  Connecticut,  was  simultaneous  with 


15 


that  glorious  revival,  with  which  many  sections 
of  the  state  were  visited  in  the  years  1741, 
2,  and  3.  It  is  of  this  revival  that  Backus 
says :  '  The  great  change  that  was  then 
wrought  in  many  minds,  was  the  evident  cause 
of  the  rapid  spread  of  Baptist  principles  in 
our  land/  '  The  subjects  of  that  work,'  he 
continues, '  embraced  two  ideas  which  produced 
this  effect.  The  first  was,  that  saving  faith 
is  necessary  to  give  any  soul  a  true  right  to 
communion  in  the  church  of  God ;  the  second 
was,  that  there  is  no  warrant  for  a  half- 
way covenant  therein ;  and  as  infants  are 
generally  in  a  state  of  nature  when  they  are 
said  to  be  brought  into  covenant,  infant  bap- 
tism expires  before  these  principles.'  So  true 
is  it,  as  a  general  thing,  that  the  internal  and 
external  purity  of  the  church,  rise  and  fall 
together.  Thus  the  moment  men  began  to 
apprehend  the  great  truth,  that  living  faith  in 
Christ  was  indispensable  to  admission  into 
his  church,  immediately,  by  a  necessary  infer- 
ence they  advanced  another  step,  namely,  that 
living  faith  in  Christ  was  an  equally  indispen- 
sable prerequisite  to  baptism ;  and  having  gone 
thus  far,  the  more  discerning  and   conscien- 


16 


tions  were  constrained  to  go  still  farther,  and 
renounce  infant  baptism.  For  if  faith  in  Christ 
he  the  first  step  towards  memhershijo  in  the  visible 
church,  and  baptism  the  second,  then,  evidently^ 
infants  are  disqualified  for  the  second,  because 
incapahle  of  the  first.  It  is  not  surprising, 
that,  when  men  began  to  reason  thus,  '  in- 
fant baptism  began  to  decline.'  So  true  is 
it,  that  reason,  under  the  control  of  a  sancti- 
fied heart,  always  extricates  us  from  the 
labyrinths  of  error,  and  guides  us  along  the 
plain  path  of  scriptural  truth. 

It  was  amid  circumstances  and  influences 
like  these,  that  this  church  seems  to  have  had 
its  origin.  It  was  called  into  life,  not  by  party 
spirit,  not  by  sectarian  zeal,  but  under  the 
genial  influence  of  a  glorious  revival  of  reli- 
gion ;  and  the  great  principles  of  truth,  which  it 
then  embraced,  and  which  from  that  time  it 
has  steadfastly  maintained,  were  elicited  under 
the  same  benign  influence. 

During  this  year,  1743,  Baptist  sentiments 
spread  with  a  hitherto  unparalleled  rapidity. 
Several  new  churches  were  constituted  in 
New  England.  In  New  Jersey,  Mr.  Dicken- 
son, then  president  of  Princeton  college,  wrote 


17 


a  pamphlet,  to  arrest,  if  possible,  the  progress 
of  a  sentiment  which  was  fast  undermining 
the  long  established  and  venerated  usages  of 
the  prevailing  church.  But  it  did  not  answer 
the  design  of  its  doubtless  well  meaning 
author.  '  The  pamphlet  was  reviewed  by  Dr. 
Gill,  an  English  Baptist,  in  1749 ;  and  this  ex- 
amination of  the  subject,  caused  the  light  to 
be  more  widely  diffused.' 

Many  converts,  about  this  time,  were  made 
to  Baptist  sentiments,  who  were  not  gathered 
into  Baptist  churches ;  but,  obtaining  baptism 
at  the  hand  of  Baptist  mimisters,  remained  in 
the  communion  of  the  churches  with  which 
they  were  already  connected.  This  state  of 
things,  though  at  first  tolerated,  continued,  as 
might  have  been  anticipated,  but  for  a  short 
season.  For  soon  it  was  discovered,  that  the 
new  sentiment  had  made  such  progress,  that  it 
threatened  to  prevail  over  the  old ;  and  that 
baptism,  unless  checked,  would  soon  displace 
sprinJding,  or  affusion,  and  obtain  the  exclu- 
sive practice  of  these'  churches.  '  Hence  a 
fierce  opposition  was  raised  against  what  was 
called  rebaptizing,  which  was  declared  to  be  a 
very  wicked  act' 
2# 


18 


The  Separate  churches  had  become  a  mixed 
multitude,  and,  as  a  consequence,  disorder, 
confusion,  and  strife,  succeeded.  Councils 
were  called  to  settle  these  increasing  difficul- 
ties ;  the  first  of  which  was  held  in  Exeter, 
May,  1753,  and  a  larger  one,  the  year  follow- 
ing, in  Stonington.  In  these  councils,  it  seems 
that  the  Baptists  and  Separatists  mutually 
participated ;  little  progress,  however,  was 
made  in  attempting  to  harmonize  elements 
and  principles  so  discordant.  The  most  con- 
summate wisdom  of  the  ministry  and  church 
united,  could  not  strike  out  a  path  in  which 
principles  and  practices  so  diametrically  oppo- 
site, could  meet  and  harmonize.  Nor  is  this 
astonishing.  For  divine  wisdom  had  furnished 
none ;  and  if  tJtey  had  succeeded  in  finding 
one,  it  must  have  been  one  of  those  by-paths 
of  human  invention,  which  always  deviate 
more  or  less  widely  from  the  plain,  straight 
path  of  gospel  order  and  practice.  The  point 
at  issue  between  the  two  parties  seems  to 
have  been  this.  Those  who  did  not  feel 
themselves  bound  to  receive  immersion,  de- 
manded of  their  baptized  brethren,  and  of  the 
Baptist  churches  generally,  that  they  should 


19 


acknowledge  affusion,  tliongh  received  by 
tiiem  in  infancy,  as  valid  baptism.  This  of 
course  they  could  not  do,  and  hence  a  separa- 
tion took  place  in  many  of  these  churches; 
the  baptized  members  withdrawing  and  form- 
ing separate  organizations,  which  soon  assumed 
the  exclusive  character  and  standing  of  Baptist 
churches.  Thus  God  in  his  providence  was 
separating  the  wheat  from  the  chaff,  the  truth 
from  falsehood,  the  ordinances  of  his  church 
from  the  traditions  and  commandments  of  men. 
Still,  however,  the  leaven  of  error  was  not 
entirely  purged  out.  The  light,  though  shining 
somewhat  more  clearly  than  it  had  done,  was 
nevertheless  intercepted  by  much  of  prejudice 
and  passion,  and  not  as  yet  fully  apprehended. 
So  strong  were  the  ties  of  former  associations, 
that  many  at  first  could  not  separate  them- 
selves at  the  Lord's  table,  from  those  with 
whom  they  had  been  accustomed  to  walk  in 
fellowship;  and  though  they  seem  to  have 
been  fully  aware  of  the  inconsistency  of  this 
course,  yet  relative  attachments  triumphed  at 
times  over  principle,  and  the  truth  was  sacri- 
ficed, as  it  often  is,  at  the  shrine  of  human 
passion  and  friendship. 


20 


Still  this  was  a  point  of  peculiar  tenderness, 
and  was  regarded  and  treated  by  the  churches, 
with  a  degree  of  mildness  and  lenity  some- 
what remarkable,  it  is  true,  but  not  unbecom- 
ing, perhaps,  the  circumstances  in  which  they 
were  placed.  The  ministiy  of  this  period 
seem  to  have  been  endued  with  a  remarka- 
ble degree  of  wisdom,  prudence,  and  piety. 
They  were  men,  evidently,  whom  God  had 
selected  and  fitted  for  the  weighty  responsi- 
bilities and  arduous  work  to  which  they  were 
called;  men  who  were  able  and  willing  to 
tuke  the  oversight  of  the  church  of  God; 
to  guide  her  amid  the  perils  through  which  she 
was  passing;  to  lead  her  up  from  the  dark- 
ness in  w^hich  she  had  long  been  wandering, 
into  the  full  light  and  liberty  of  the  gospel. 
Theirs  was  the  responsible  work  of  combining 
elements ;  of  separating  the  precious  from  the 
vile ;  of  discriminating  between  the  true  and 
the  false,  both  in  doctrine  and  practice;  of 
collecting,  arranging,  fitting,  and  harmoniz- 
ing materials  for  the  establishment  of  the 
church  of  God,  as  the  pillar  and  ground  of 
the  truth,  upon  the  foundation  of  apostles  and 
prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief 


21 


They  were  called  upon,  not  only  to  preserve 
the  ordinance  of  baptism,  which  they  had 
received  in  special  trust,  in  its  primitive  rela- 
tion to  the  church,  but  also  to  cast  a  mass  of 
mind,  just  emerging  from  the  darkness  of  a 
false  theology,  into  the  peculiar  mould  of  gos- 
pel truth,  into  the  form  of  sound  evangelical 
sentiment,  and  of  equally  sound  evangelical 
practice ;  and  of  the  manner  in  wliich,  under 
God,  they  met  this  responsibility ;  of  the  con- 
summate wisdom,  prudence,  and  fidelity,  with 
which  they  discharged  their  high  and  sacred 
duties ;  of  the  correctness  of  their  decisions 
in  most  matters  of  faith,  practice,  and  disci- 
pline ;  the  present  condition  of  the  denomina- 
tion, is  perhaps  the  best  criterion.  For  it  has 
advanced  to  its  present  state,  guided  and 
guarded  by  those  simple  principles  of  ecclesi- 
astical economy,  in.  which  they  so  faithfully 
instructed  the  churches  committed  to  their 
charge.  And  in  no  way,  perhaps,  has  the  wis- 
dom of  their  successors  in  the  ministry,  been 
more  happily  exhibited,  than  in  attempting  no 
innovations  concerning  these  important  points 
of  order  in  the  church.  Wherever  an  improve- 
ment has  been  attempted,  it  has  most  signally 


22 


failed;  both  individuals  and  churclies  have 
found  themselves  constrained  to  return,  and 
retire  within  the  prescribed  limits  of  an  eccle- 
siastical fellowship,  based  upon  union  in  the  truth 
as  it  is  in  Jesus.  The  reason  of  this  is  obvious. 
The  light  which  guided  our  early  ministry  in 
the  formation  and  discipline  of  the  church, 
was  the  New  Testament.  This  was  their 
law,  their  canon,  their  rule  of  faith  and  action. 
They  did  not  study  the  fathers,  or  the  decrees 
of  councils,   or  the  decisions   of  synods,  but 

the  TEACHINGS  OF  JeSUS    ChRIST  AND  THE  ACTS 

OF  THE  APOSTLES.  Here  they  found  the  grand 
model  of  the  christian  church,  or  rather  the 
christian  church  itself,  as  constituted  and  regu- 
lated under  the  immediate  teachings  of  the 
Holy  Ghost;  and  to  this  they  strove  in  all 
things  to  conform  the  spiritual  temple  which 
they  were  called  to  rear.  Hence  under  their 
hand  the  building  rose  with  something  of  the 
simplicity  and  beauty  of  the  apostolic  church. 
It  stood  out  before  the  world  reflecting  in  all 
its  prominent  features  of  doctrines,  ordinances, 
and  discipline,  the  light  of  a  pure,  primitive 
Christianity.  Let  it  not  be  supposed,  that  our 
veneration  for  our  fathers  in  the  ministry  is 


23 


excessive;  we  venerate  them,  because  they 
venerated  the  New  Testament ;  we  follow  them 
because  they  followed  Christ.  We  speak  of  their 
religious  principles  because  they  were  drawn 
fresh  from  the  fountain  of  truth,  the  living 
oracles  of  God;  we  speak  of  their  acts  be- 
cause they  were  conformable  to  the  precepts 
of  the  gospel,  and  as  such  are  worthy  of  our 
perpetual  imitation.  We  admire  their  spirit, 
the  elevated  tone  of  their  piety,  their  unwa- 
vering fidelity  to  truth,  their  strict  andundevia- 
ting  conscientiousness,  their  patient  endurance 
of  suffering,  and  their  manly  resistance  of 
religious  despotism.  They  were  indeed  extra- 
ordinary men,  but  were  made  so  by  the  grace  of 
God ;  by  the  peculiar  circumstances  into  the 
midst  of  which  they  were  thrown;  by  the 
responsibilities  they  were  called  to  sustain; 
and  above  all  by  the  sufferings,  privations,  and 
persecutions,  which  they  were  called  to  endure. 
That  they  were  great  men  we  do  not  claim, 
at  least  in  the  ordinary  acceptation  of  this 
phrase ;  and  yet,  if  purity  of  mind  and  charac- 
ter, deep  and  ardent  piety,  strong  attachment 
to  truth,  correct  and  comprehensive  views  of 
the  gospel,  a  thorough  acquaintance  with  the 


24 


word  of  God ;  together  with  an  ability  in  illus- 
trating and  applying  the  same,  in  an  extraor- 
dinary degree  successful  in  winning  souls  to 
Christ,  as  well  as  in  edifying  the  church  of 
God;  if  these  qualifications  in  any  degi*ee 
constitute  true  goodness,  and  true  greatness,  then 
were  they  truly  good  and  truly  great  men. 
They  were  men  of  a  plain,  common  education, 
yet  of  strong,  vigorous  intellects,  of  sound 
practical  sense ;  and  thence  brought  to  the 
study  of  the  scriptures  that  peculiar  artless- 
ness  and  simplicity  of  mind  so  essential  to  a 
right  understanding  of  the  word  of  God. 
Books  they  had  none.  The  Bible  alone  was 
the  man  of  their  counsel,  their-  great  and 
almost  exclusive  study;  and  hence  they  became 
mighty  in  the  scriptures,  thorough  and  correct 
expounders  of  the  doctrines  and  precepts  of 
the  gospel. 

They  were  unlearned  in  many  of  the  mod- 
ern modes  of  interpretation,  untaught  in  many 
of  the  nice  distinctions  of  a  speculative  theolo- 
gy, but  were  not  therefore,  we  imagine,  the 
less  evangelical  in  their  sentiments,  the  less 
successful  in  their  ministrations. 

They  seem  to  have  received  the  scriptures 


25 


ill  their  most  plain  and  obvious  meaning,  with- 
out seeking  to  conform  them  to  their  preju- 
dices, or  to  bend  them  to  the  support  of  a 
denominational  creed.  Indeed  they  had  no 
such  creed  ;  and  if  prejudice  at  any  time  they 
had,  it  was  a  prejudice  consequent  to,  and 
dependent  upon  a  diligent  and  prayerful  study 
of  the  Bible,  and  might  therefore  be  supposed 
to  be  in  harmony  with  truth.  Doubtless,  like 
all  other  good  men  in  similar  circumstances, 
they  were  not  aware  of  the  greatness  of  the 
work  they  were  performing,  of  the  far-reach- 
ing influence  of  the  principles  which  they  had 
embraced,  and  were  laboriously  inculcating. 

Hence  the  absence  of  all  policy  and  design 
in  their  proceedings  touching  the  future.  They 
left  truth  where  the  apostles  left  it,  not  to  be 
transmitted  by  means  of  creeds  and  heartless 
subscriptions,  but  to  be  handed  down  from 
generation  to  generation  in  the  experience  of 
those  who  should  embrace  it,  trusting  in  God 
that  the  line  of  the  tme  spiritual  priesthood 
would  continue  unbroken,  and  the  church  thus 
be  perpetuated  to  the  end  of  time. 

We  are  disposed,  however,  to  trace  all  this 
to  the  superintending  providence  of  God,  to 
3 


26 


the  guardian  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
To  us  it  seems  evident,  that  God,  through  the 
agency  of  these  men,  was  preparing  to  give 
the  world  a  practical  illustration  of  that  great 
ti'uth,  which  the  church  has  ever  been  so  slow 
to  learn,  namely:  that  the  Bible  understood, 
the  Bible  believed,  the  Bible  loved,  the  Bible 
practiced,  is  the  best,  the  only  safeguard  to 
ecclesiastical  purity. 

We  have  thus  sketched,  with  as  much  brevity 
as  justice  to  the  subject  would  permit,  the 
history  and  character  of  the  age  that  witnessed 
the  rise  and  organization  of  this  church.  It 
remains  for  us  now,  to  present  in  detail  some  of 
the  most  important  facts  and  events  of  its  own 
history. 

The  first  record  subsequent  to  that  of  the 
organization  of  the  church,  bears  date  of  Octo- 
ber 3d,  1762.  It  records  a  petition  of  the  pastor 
to  travel,  and  preach  the  gospel  wherever  God 
might  open  the  way  before  him.  The  church 
gave  him  full  liberty  to  go,  and  improve  his  gift 
wherever  God  should  call  him.  The  next 
record,  of  October  17th,  1764,  is  of  a  somewhat 
painful  character.  It  describes,  very  briefly,  a 
course  of  discipline  which  the  church  were 


27 


constrained  to  take  with  their  pastor.  Tlie 
charges  against  him  were  as  follows  :  first, 
that  he  had  given  occasion  to  the  people  to 
think  that  he  was  actuated  by  a  hireling 
spirit,  in  demanding  a  stated  salary  for  his 
services ;  and,  second,  that  he  professed  to 
have  an  internal  dismission  from  the  church, 
and  in  virtue  thereof  pronounced  the  church 
dissolved.  Touching  the  first  charge,  he  plead 
guilty  and  confessed  his  error ;  but  as  to  the 
second,  he  firmly  maintained  that  his  internal 
dismission  from  the  church  was  from  heaven. 
On  the  second  day  of  November,  1764,  the 
church,  as  the  records  state,  after  much  labor, 
resolved  to  withdraw  the  hand  of  fellowship 
from  their  pastor.  The  ground  of  this  was, 
that  he  persevered  in  declaring  that  the  church 
was  dissolved,  and  that  he  had  an  internal  dis- 
mission from  heaven.  The  next  record,  of  Octo- 
ber 3d,  1765,  presents  the  doings  of  a  council, 
called  in  relation  to  the  case  of  elder  Palmer. 
The  names  of  the  council  were  Nathan  Avery, 
Timothy  "Whightman,  Simeon  Brown,  Joseph 
Ayer,  Richard  Williams,  Amos  Burrows,  Joshua 
Birch,  Eliezer  Brown.  The  doings  of  this 
council,   furnish  an  interesting   specimen   of 


28 


the  manner  in  which  they  transacted  business 
of  this  character,  in  these  early  times.  First, 
they  offered  prayer  to  Ahuighty  God  for  direc- 
tion ;  second,  they  inquired  of  the  church  for 
what  purpose  they  had  called  them  together ; 
third,  they  proceeded  to  hear  a  relation  of  the 
matter  from  elder  Paliner,  and  also  a  state- 
ment of  facts  from  the  church,  after  which 
they  adjourned  to  a  private  dwelling,  and  came 
to  a  decision  in  the  following  manner:  the 
moderator,  probably  elder  Timothy  Whight- 
man,  proposed  to  the  council  the  following 
questions  :  first,  had  elder  Palmer  a  right  to 
withdraw  from  the  church  in  the  manner  and 
form  he  did  ?  answer  in  the  negative.  Second, 
has  elder  Palmer,  by  withdrawing  from  the 
church,  rendered  himself  worthy  of  discipline  ? 
answer  in  the  affirmative.  They  then  pro- 
ceeded to  advise  elder  Palmer  to  reconsider 
his  conduct,  and  adrnonished  him  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner :  '  Dear  brother,  is  this  agreea- 
ble to  your  ordination  vows,  and  the  solemn 
charge  committed  to  you  ?  If  the  church,  as 
you  say,  was  in  a  languishing  condition,  then 
where  was  your  love  ;  where  your  pity ;  where 
your  faithfulness  to  God,  to  Christ  the  good 


29 


shepherd,  to  the  sheep  of  his  pasture  and  of 
your  charge  ?  We  entreat  you,  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  the  bowels  of 
love,  that  you  repent  and  turn  again  to  God, 
and  to  the  church  of  your  charge,  lest  a  broken 
covenant  and  the  blood  of  souls  rise  against 
you.'  To  the  church  they  spake  as  follows : 
*  Dear  brethren,  our  bowels  move  with  com- 
passion and  sympathy  towards  you,  while  we 
behold  you  as  sheep  without  a  shepherd ;  but 
we  trust  the  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep  will 
not  forsake  you.  Cry  after  your  elder,  cry  to 
God  for  him. ;  who  knows  but  God  will  restore 
him  to  you  ?  We  advise  you,  brethren,  after 
you  have  wholly  discharged  your  duty  to  him 
in  this  respect,  and  he  continues  incorrigible 
and  impenitent,  that  you  depose  him  of  the 
ministry,  and  the  charge  committed  to  him  in 
his  ordination.  Finally,  brethren,  farewell; 
the  God  of  peace  be  with  you.     Amen.' 

At  a  meeting  held  on  the  25th  of  the  same 
month,  the  church  voted  their  concurrence  with 
the  doings  of  the  council,  and  directed  their 
clerk  to  send  a  copy  of  the  same  to  Mr.  Palm- 
er. Still,  however,  the  final  act  of  exclusion 
was  delayed,  in  hope,  doubtless,  that  their  pas- 
3# 


30 


tor,  whom  they  seemed  to  have  truly  esteemed, 
might  return  to  them ;  but  in  this  they  were 
disappointed.  A  letter  is  found  on  record,  bear- 
ing date  of  January  9th,  1776,  addressed  to  Mr. 
Palmer ;  in  which,  after  reviewing  the  course 
of  discipline  pursued,  they  proceed  to  say: 
*  And  now  in  covenant  faithfulness  to  you,  our 
once  beloved  elder,  and  in  honor  to  the  laws 
of  God's  house,  we  exclude  you  from  our  fel- 
lowship ;  and  depose  you  from  the  pastoral 
office  committed  to  you  at  your  ordination/ 
We  have  copied  these  proceedings  at  length, 
because  they  furnish  an  interesting  illustration 
of  the  principles  of  order  and  discipline  by 
which  this  church,  in  its  infancy,  and  the  de- 
nomination in  general,  at  this  early  period, 
Avere  controlled.  It  proves  that  our  churches 
at  the  beginning  were  well  governed,  wtell 
disciplined;  that  nothing  like  looseness  of 
sentiment  was  permitted  to  obtain  even  in  the 
ministry.  It  furnishes  also  an  early  precedent 
worthy  of  our  special  regard,  showing  the  spe- 
cific character  and  design  of  councils.  This 
council  was  exclusively  advisory.  It  attempt- 
ed to  exercise  no  authority  over  the  church. 
It  simply  gave  its  advice  and  left  the  church 


31 


free  to  receive  or  reject  it.  It  was  convoked, 
not  to  legislate,  but  to  advise ;  not  because  the 
authority  of  the  church  was  not  adequate  to  the 
deposing  of  a  minister ;  but  because  the  church, 
in  a  case  perhaps  unprecedented,  at  least  of 
pecuhar  intricacy,  felt  the  need  of  counsel; 
and  we  scarcely  know  which  to  admire  most, 
the  prudence  of  the  church  in  asking  advice, 
or  the  high  and  christian -like  integrity  of  the 
council  in  giving  it.  Having  performed  their 
duty,  the  council  dissolved,  leaving  the  church 
to  pursue  an  independent  course  of  discipline 
with  their  offending  pastor.  The  executive 
power  was  in  the  church,  and  having  with  the 
aid  of  a  council  ascertained  the  law  of  God's 
house  in  this  case,  they  proceeded  in  due  time 
to  put  it  in  execution.  How  unlike  this  was 
the  disciphne  of  the  prevailing  church  of  that 
period.  Here  is  no  dominant  priesthood, 
*  lording  it  over  God's  heritage,'  with  the  strong 
arm  of  civil  power  enforcing  its  decisions ;  no 
arrestments,  fines,  imprisonments,  or  whip- 
pings; but  the  church  peaceably  assembling 
from  time  to  time,  calmly  deliberating  upon  a 
most  important  and  trying  case,  calling  to  her 
aid  the  wisdom  of  an  esteemed  and  intelligent 


32 


ministry,  and  finally  proceeding,  in  the  exer- 
cise of  her  high  and  independent  prerogative, 
to  put  forth  her  decision  of  excommunication. 
This  verily  looks  like  the  primitive  order  of 
Christ's  kingdom.  Here  are  no  synods,  no  pres- 
byteries, no  councils  invested  with  legislative 
power ;  but  the  church  acknowledging  no  head 
but  Christ,  and  no  law  but  his  revealed  word, 
seeking  with  due  caution  and  prudence  to 
ascertain  its  decisions  in  a  given  case  of 
discipline,  and,  having  done  so,  faithfully 
executing  the  same. 

Of  Mr.  Palmer's  character  little  can  be 
known,  except  what  may  be  inferred  from  the 
record  of  these  proceedings,  and  this  we  fear 
may  be  less  favorable  to  him  as  a  man,  as  a 
christian,  as  a  minister,  than  strict  justice  would 
demand.  From  all  we  have  been  able  to 
gather  respecting  him,  we  should  judge  him 
to  have  been  a  man  of  strong  and  fixed 
prejudices,  immovable  in  his  decisions,  and 
somewhat  austere  and  censorious  in  the  exer- 
cise of  his  ministerial  functions.  He  reproved 
with  severity,  and,  without  consulting  con- 
sequences, followed  out  what  he  regarded  as 
truth   and  duty.      Still    his   piety  seems    to 


33 


have  been  of  a  mystical  cast,  which  often,  as 
in  the  case  of  his  confession,  led  him  to  renounce 
as  wrong,  what  was  evidently  right,  and 
to  hold  as  right,  what  was  evidently  wrong. 
In  one  respect  it  must  be  conceded,  that  he 
was  in  advance  of  the  age,  at  least  without 
doubt  in  advance  of  his  church,  namely,  in  rela- 
tion to  ministerial  support.  It  is  well  known 
that  the  views  of  many  of  our  earlier  churches 
upon  this  subject  were  exceedingly  defective. 
And  the  putting  forth  of  such  claims  as  Mr. 
Palmer  seems  to  have  urged,  would  be  likely 
to  produce  a  collision.  Most  of  our  members 
at  this  period  came  out  from  under  the  oppres- 
sion of  an  overreaching  ministry,  and  thence 
regarded  with  an  undue  jealousy,  whatever 
might  have  the  appearance  of  this  evil.* 
No  record  was  kept  of  the  members  received 
under  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Palmer.  We  cannot, 
therefore,  judge  very  correctly  of  its  comparative 
worth.  It,  however,  embraced  a  period  of 
twenty-two  years,  and  was,  in  this  respect, 
at  least,  worthy  the  imitation  of  the  ministry 
of  the  present  day.     I  cannot  pass  from  this 

*  See  Appendix,  letter  A. 


34 


connection,  without  remarking,  that  the  pasto- 
ral relation  of  this  period,  seems  to  have  been 
regarded  as  pecuHarly  sacred.  Both  the  church 
and  the  ministry  viewed  it  as  a  permanent,  and 
in  ordinary  cases  as  a  changeless  relation. 
They  knew  nothing  of  that  system  of  trade 
and  speculation  in  the  ministry,  in  which  the 
churches  have  of  late  years  so  extensively 
engaged.  And  the  ministry  knew  as  little  of 
that  ambitiousness  of  place  and  station,  which 
at  the  present  time  is  one  of  its  most  unlovely 
features.  Mr.  Palmer,  in  the  early  part  of  his 
ministry,  travelled  somewhat  extensively,  pene- 
trating the  adjoining  towns  and  counties, 
preaching  the  gospel  wherever  God  in  his 
providence  opened  the  way  before  him.  He 
seems  to  have  labored  with  some  degree  of 
success  in  the  town  of  Tolland,  and  while 
there,  baptized  the  celebrated  Shubael  Stearns, 
and  shortly  after  assisted  in  his  ordination. 
This  was  about  the  year  1751.  In  1764,  he 
also  baptized  Simeon  Brown,  the  first  pastor 
of  the  Second  Baptist  Church  in  this  town.  ^ 
From    all  these   circumstances,   it  may,   we 

*  See  Appendix,  letter  B. 


35 


think,  be  fairly  inferred,  that  Mr.  Palmer  was 
a  man  of  no  small  moral  worth,  notwithstand- 
ing the  nnhappy  termination  of  his  ministry. 
We  are  disposed  to  regard  the  whole  subject 
in  the  most  favorable  light  on  his  part,  to  do  jus- 
tice to  his  character,  and  to  relieve,  if  possible, 
the  darkness  in  which  the  latter  part  of  his 
life  was  shrouded.  Whether  he  was  restored 
to  the  church  cannot  be  determined,  for  the 
records  are  again  broken  till  1781,  before 
which  time,  doubtless,  the  aged  man  had  gone 
to  his  reward. 

Still,  as  the  first  pastor  of  this  church,  as 
exercising  his  ministry  in  a  period  which  tried 
men's  souls,  as  laboring  extensively  for  the 
diffusion  of  truth,  as  a  faithful  coadjutor  with 
our  earliest  ministers  in  the  great  work  of 
gathering  and  planting  our  churches,  as  hav- 
ing baptized  and  assisted  in  the  ordination  of 
two  men  of  such  eminent  worth,  we  are  con- 
strained to  reverence  his  name  and  memory, 
and  regard  him  as  worthy  to  be  enrolled  among 
those  noble  men  with  whom  he  was  sometime 
associated.  He  doubtless  had  to  struggle  with 
many  embarrassments  of  a  pecuniary  charac- 
ter.     A    large    proportion   of   his   time   was 


36 


devoted  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and  with 
the  scanty  allowances  furnished  him  by  his 
church,  it  was  but  natural  that  he  should 
become  discouraged  and  unhappy,  in  his  offi- 
cial connection.  His  great  error,  after  all,  seems 
to  have  been  one,  which,  at  that  time,  was 
quite  prevalent  in  these  parts,  namely,  that 
internal  impressions  were  decisive  in  all  mat- 
ters of  duty  and  discipline.  The  church  and 
council  doubtless  acted  wisely  in  purging  out 
this  delusion ;  but  the  church  was  sadly 
behind  its  duty  in  not  giving  its  pastor  a 
comfortable  support.  Had  this  been  done 
cheerfully,  the  connection  might  possibly  have 
continued  unbroken  and  happy  until  his  death. 
Mr.  Palmer  was  succeeded  in  his  ministry  by 
Mr.  Eliezer  Brown,  a  member  and  licentiate 
of  the  Second  Church  in  Stonington.  In  this 
capacity,  he  seems  to  have  served  this  church 
for  the  term  of  four  years.  He  became  a 
member  of  this  church,  1769,  and  was  ordained 
its  pastor,  January  24th,  1770.  The  ministers 
who  assisted,  were  Joshua  Morse,  ^  Nathan 
Avery,   Timothy  Whightman,  Simeon  Brown, 

*  See  Appendix,  letter  C. 


37 


and  Solomon  Sprague.  Mr.  Brown  entered 
upon  his  ministry  under  circumstances  some- 
what discouraging ;  the  church  was  in  a  scat- 
tered, languishing  condition ;  yet  his  call  to 
the  pastorate  seems  to  have  been  unanimous, 
and  he  was  thence  successful  in  gathering  and 
uniting  the  scattered  sheep.  Indeed  he  seems 
to  have  been  a  man  whom  God  had  eminently 
fitted  for  the  station  he  was  to  occupy ;  and 
he  came  to  his  work  at  a  time  when  his  ser- 
vices were  greatly  needed.  We  cannot  for- 
bear to  notice,  in  this  connection,  the  prudence 
and  deliberation  with  which  the  church  pro- 
ceeded in  the  choice  and  call  of  a  pastor,  as 
well  as  the  becoming  modesty  and  patience 
with  which  the  candidate  awaited  that  choice, 
and  his  consequent  call  to  ordination.  A 
period  of  four  years  is  permitted  to  elapse 
between  the  dismission  of  their  first  pastor, 
and  the  final  choice  and  settlement  of  his  suc- 
cessor. During  all  this  time,  the  young  candi- 
date preaches  to  the  church.  The  church 
watch  his  steady  demeanor,  his  ripening  gifts, 
his  growing  worth ;  an  attachment  commences ; 
they  become  convinced  of  his  soundness  in 
the  faith,  and  of  his  ability  to  expound  to  them 
4 


38 


and  their  children,  the  word  of  God.  This 
lays  a  foundation  for  a  connection  between  the 
pastor  and  people,  of  a  long  and  happy  continu- 
ance ;  and  under  ordinary  circumstances,  as  in 
this  case,  to  be  dissolved  only  by  death.  Here 
is  nothing  of  that  haste  and  rashness  in  the 
choice  of  a  pastor,  which  marks  the  decisions 
of  many  of  our  churches  at  the  present  day ; 
and  nothing  of  that  prematureness  of  ordina- 
tions, under  the  burden  of  which,  the  denomi- 
nation at  this  moment  groans. 

The  ministry  of  Mr.  Brown  embraces  a 
period  of  twenty-five  years.  The  fii'st  years 
of  his  ministry  do  not  appear  to  have  been 
distinguished,  by  any  unusual  success  in  the 
enlargement  of  the  church.  From  1770  to 
1781,  there  is  an  entire  blank  in  the  records, 
about  which  no  definite  information  can  be 
obtained.  In  1784,  according  to  a  manuscript 
copy  of  the  minutes  of  the  Stonington  Union  As- 
sociation,^ the  church  numbered  ninety-seven. 
From  this  period  down  to  the  year  1791-2,  the 
additions  by  baptism  were  few.  The  ministry, 
about  this  time,  was  much  engaged  in  adjust- 

*  See  Appendix,  letter  D. 


39 


ing  tlie  affairs  of  the  denomination  in  general ; 
in  regulating  the  practice  of  the  churches, 
touching  their  ecclesiastical  fellowship ;  in 
settling  questions  of  discipline,  &c.  &c.  Coun- 
cils were  frequent,  and  the  pastor,  deacons, 
and  more  prominent  members,  were  frequently 
called  away ;  still,  during  all  this  period,  strict 
discipline  was  evidently  maintained,  and  the 
church  lived  in  peace  and  harmony.  The 
office  of  deacon  at  this  time  was  filled  by  Mr. 
Allen  Breed.  He  was  probably  among  the 
earliest  members  of  the  church,  and  perhaps 
was  chosen  to  the  office  at  its  organization. 
From  all  that  can  be  gathered  concerning  him, 
he  seems  to  have  been  a  good  man,  and  to 
have  filled  the  office  of  a  deacon  well.  Oct. 
6,  1784,  Nathan  Randall,  was  chosen  deacon, 
and  on  the  8th  of  December  following,  was 
publicly  ordained.  In  August,  1785,  Reuben 
Palmer  was  set  apart  to  the  work  of  an  evan- 
gelist* From  this  date  to  1788,  nothing  occurs 
of  special  interest.  A  few  scattered  noti- 
ces of  baptisms,  together  with  the  ordinaiy 
cases  of  discipline,  is  all  that  appears  on  the 

*  See  Appendix,  letter  E. 


40 


records.  From  the  published  minutes  ^  of  the 
association,  we  learn  that  in  1789,  the  church 
numbered  one  hundred  and  two.  The  year 
1790  brings  us  towards  the  close  of  Mr. 
Brown's  ministry.  He  had  scattered  long  the 
seed  of  truth,  and  as  yet  had  gathered  but  lit- 
tle fruit ;  but  the  promise  of  God  cannot  fail ; 
His  word  cannot  return  to  him  void.  It  had 
been  faithfully  preached,  and  must  accompHsh 
the  thing  whereunto  it  is  sent.  The  seed 
had  been  sown  and  could  not  be  lost;  bread 
had  been  scattered  upon  the  waters,  and  after 
many  days,  it  must  be  found.  Accordingly,  in 
the  year  1791,  Mr.  Brown  began  to  witness 
the  fulfilment  of  these  promises. 

We  may  well  suppose  that  he  was  often 
discouraged,  and  left  to  exclaim,  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  prophet,  *  Who  hath  believed  our 
report?'  His  ministry  is  drawing  to  a  close, 
and  the  good  man  almost  concludes,  that  he 
must  be  gathered  to  his  fathers,  without 
beholding  the  salvation  of  God.  But  not  so ; 
at  this  advanced  period  of  his  life,  the  faith- 
ful minister  receives  the  commission,  *  Thrust 

*  See  Appendix,  letter  F. 


41 


in  thy  sickle  and  reap,  for  the  harvest  is  fully 
ripe.'  This  year,  1791,  they  enjoyed  a  little 
refreshing ;  the  Lord  began  to  set  them  free. 
The  year  following,  the  heavens  dropped  down 
fatness;  the  clouds  had  long  been  gather- 
ing, and  now  poured  down  a  'plentiful  rain, 
whereby  God's  inheritance  was  confirmed 
when  weaiy.'  In  this  revival,  the  church 
received  an  accession  of  fifty-two,  making  its 
whole  number,  one  hundred  and  fifty-two. 
This  revival,  in  its  steady  progress,  was  evi- 
dently in  harmony,  with  the  age  in  which 
it  occurred.  Society  then  was  not  made  up 
of  tinder,  steam,  and  vapor,  but  of  solid  gran- 
ite, and  consequently,  was  not  easily  moved. 
But  when  taken  by  grace  from  the  quarry  of 
nature,  and  placed  in  the  great  spiritual  temple, 
it  lay  perhaps  the  more  firmly  upon  the  foun- 
dation. It  had  at  least  sufficient  weight  of 
character,  to  settle  and  ground  it  in  the  truth. 
If  the  temple  did  not  gather  to  itself  so  many 
lively  stones,  they  were  perhaps  more  massive, 
better  polished  and  fitted,  by  a  long  preparatory 
course  of  labor,  for  the  place  they  were  to 
occupy.  Men  did  not  then  understand  the 
process  of  reducing  solid  rock  to  gas,  and  of 
4# 


42 


blowing  it  off  in  vapor ;  but  the  present  age,  in 
its  advanced  light  and  knowledge,  understands 
all  this.  The  mighty  agencies  of  nature  are 
brought  under  its  control ;  and  why  not  a  cor- 
responding improvement,  in  controlling  the 
agencies  of  grace  ?  Why  not  bring  so  much 
spiritual  light,  and  heat,  and  power,  to  bear 
upon  the  world,  as  to  melt  away  a,t  once  its 
flinty  hardness  and  icy  coldness  ? 

Such  is  i\\e  philosophy  of  some  men.  But 
the  voice  of  inspimtion  is,  *  Not  by  might,  nor 
by  power,  but  by  my  Spirit,  saith  the  Lord.' 
Doubtless  religious  revivals  will  be  in  some 
measure  conformable  to  the  peculiarities  of  the 
period,  in  which  they  occur.  But  we  hold  it 
to  be  ^  great  ^n^  fundamental  truth,  that,  in 
whatever  age  or  under  w^hatever  possible  cir- 
cumstances occurring,  pure  revivals  are  always 
produced  by  the  sovereign,  independent,  uncon- 
trolled power  of  the  Hohj  Ghost.  Such  was 
the  faith  of  the  fathers  of  the  Baptist  church ; 
and  the  revivals  which  occurred  under  their 
ministry,  were  instrumentally  developed  by 
preaching  based  upon  this  foundation,  and 
moulded  into  this  pecuHar  form  of  doctrine. 

October  25,  1792,  Peleg  Randall  was  ordain- 


43 


ed  an  evangelist.  He  was  baptized  November 
19tb,  1^84.  On  this  occasion,  the  pastor  of  this 
church  with  much  propriety  gave  the  charge. 
Thus  the  mantle  of  Elijah,  falls  upon  Elisha. 
The  old  pastor,  worn  with  long  labor,  is  about 
to  be  taken  up  to  his  reward;  but  ere  he  de- 
parts he  must  pour  the  sacred  oil  upon  the  head 
of  his  succesor.  He  must  callliim  from  follow- 
ing the  plough  to  assist  him  in  the  duties  of  his 
infirm  and  declining  age,  and  thus  prepare  him, 
when  he  shall  have  departed,  '  to  feed  the  flock 
of  God,  and  take  the  oversight  thereof  This 
was  the  old  ivay  of  teaching  divinity  to  the 
rising  ministry,  and  it  was  surely  an  excellent ^ 
if  not  the  more  excellefit  way. 

In  April,  1794,  Nathan  Chapman  was  ordain- 
ed deacon.  This  year,  also,  the  association  held 
its  twenty-second  anniversary  with  this  church. 
On  the  last  day  of  the  session,  Abel  Brown,  a 
member  of  this  church,  was  ordained  to  the  work 
of  the  ministry.  The  right  hand  of  fellowship 
was  given  by  the  aged  pastor.  These  were 
among  the  last  acts  of  his  life.  God  was  deal- 
ing with  him  in  mercy,  leading  him  gently  and 
pleasantly  down  to  the  tomb.  He  had  seen 
the  salvation  of  God;  laid  his  hands  upon  the 


44 


head  of  his  successor ;  had  met  the  churches 
in  convocation  at  his  own  place  of  worship;  and 
now  what  remained  but  that  he  should  depart 
in  pe^ce.  Accordingly,  on  the  20th  of  June, 
1795,  he  fell  asleep  in  Jesus.  Mr.  Brown  was 
possessed  of  but  little  education,  yet  of  strong 
native  powers,  of  vivid  thought  and  conception, 
and  of  a  flowing,  rapid  delivery.  He  was  justly 
esteemed  as  among  the  most  eminent  of  the 
preachers  of  his  day.  There  are  a  few,  still 
lingering  among  us,  ^vho  remember  him  well ; 
who  in  the  days  of  their  youth  sat  under  the 
last  part  of  his  ministry;  but  they  are  fast  re- 
tiring like  the  aged  trees  of  the  forest,  and  soon, 
the  last  of  this  fraternity,  will  have  been  num- 
bered with  the  dead. 

Mr.  Brown  was  succeeded  in  the  pastoral  of- 
fice by  Peleg  Randall.  Mr.  Bandall,  as  a  preach- 
er, was  very  much  unlike  his  predecessor. 
His  talent  was  not,  like  his^  popular  and  attract- 
ive. His  discourses  were  cool,  deliberate, 
instructive,  but  were  usually  wanting  in  the 
glowing  warmth  and  animation,  for  which  his 
revered  predecessor  was  so  highly  distinguish- 
ed. Nevertheless  he  was  at  times  impassioned, 
ardent,  and  impressive  in  his  delivery ;  often 


45 


becoming,  towards  the  close  of  his  discourse, 
deeply  moved  himself,  and  thence  deeply 
moving  others.  His  ministry  was  much  oc- 
cupied in  matters  of  discipline.  The  church 
had  become  somewhat  enlarged,  embracing  a 
wide  extent  of  territory,  requiring  much  dili- 
gence and  care,  on  the  part  of  a  pastor,  to  take 
the  oversight  of  such  a  flock.  Whether  Mr. 
Randall  was  more  strict  in  discipline  than  Mr. 
Brown,  we  cannot  say ;  but  it  is  certain  that 
the  records,  during  the  period  of  his  ministry, 
give  evidence  of  a  commendable  fidelity  in 
this  respect.  Although  no  general  revival  was 
enjoyed  under  his  ministry,  yet  it  was  by  no 
means  unfruitful  in  the  conversion  of  souls. 
The  church  was  gradually  increased  from  year 
to  year.  His  ministry,  like  his  character,  was 
distinguished  by  no  remarkable  elevations  or 
depressions ;  a  steady,  onward  movement,  if 
not  rapid,  yet  sure,  characterized  alike  both 
the  pastor  and  his  people.  It  is  delightful  to 
observe  the  permanency  of  the  pastoral  relation 
of  these  times,  and  the  reciprocal  affection  by 
which  it  was  sustained.  A  pastor  once  settled, 
there  was  no  thought  of  change,  unless  called 
for  by  the  special  voice  of  providence.  Here  is  a 


46 


long  and  peaceful  union  of  twenty-three  years  ; 
the  pastor  going  in  and  out  before  his  people, 
from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath ;  the  youth  coming  up 
under  his  watchful  care,  till  he  comes  to  be 
regarded  as  a  father  in  Israel ;  and  the  words 
of  truth,  as  they  drop  from  his  lips,  are  esteemed 
as  the  oracles  of  God.  Mr.  Eandall  closed  his 
labors  with  this  church,  October  8,  1813,  and 
soon  after  removed  to  the  state  of  New  York. 
His  person,  character,  and  manner  of  preach- 
ing, are  fresh  in  the  memory  of  many  now 
before  me.  He  was  respected  and  loved  by 
all  who  knew  him. 

In  1813,  the  church  found  itself  destitute  of 
a  spiritual  guide.  It,  however,  did  not  continue 
long  in  this  condition.  God,  in  his  providence, 
was  arranging  circumstances,  to  lead  them  to 
the  choice  of  the  man  whom  he  had  anointed 
to  this  work.  In  January,  1814,  they  received 
a  request  from  the  First  Church  in  Groton, 
to  appoint  delegates  to  assist  in  the  ordina- 
tion of  Jonathan  Miner.  The  ordination  ac- 
cordingly took  place,  February,  1814;  and  on 
the  1 2th  of  the  same  month,  the  church  resolved 
to  call  him  to  preach  to  them  for  one  year. 
The  call  was  accepted,  and  Mr.  Miner  took  up 


47 


his  residence  with  them  the  following  spring. 
His  labors  were  immediately  followed  by  a 
precious  revival.  During  the  first  month  of  his 
ministry,  between  thirty  and  forty  were  admitted 
to  the  church  by  baptism ;  and  within  the  period 
of  three  months,  fifty-six  were  baptized.  This, 
for  the  times,  was  a  very  extraordinary  accession. 
There  were  then  no  protracted  meetings;  no 
special  efforts  to  secure  a  revival,  otherwise 
than  as  they  were  called  forth,  under  the  spe- 
cial enkindlings  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the 
bosoms  of  christians.  Then  the  cloud  of  the 
divine  presence  went  before  the  congregation, 
and  the  ohuxQh  followed,  and  pitched  her  tent 
wherever  that  cloud  rested.  Revivals  then 
usually  originated  in  this  way :  christians 
would  be  quickened  in  an  unusual  degree, 
under  the  preaching  of  the  gospel ;  a  few,  at 
first,  would  begin  to  realize  deeply  their  obli- 
gations to  God,  and  to  be  burdened  in  spirit, 
for  the  salvation  of  sinners ;  and  would 
pour  out  their  souls,  in  warm  and  thril- 
ling exhortations,  following  up  the  preaching 
of  their  pastor,  with  earnest  appeals  to  the 
impenitent.  Immediately  succeeding  this  state 
of  feeling  in  the  church,  a  general  seriousness 


48 


would  be  observed,  especially  in  the  youthful 
part  of  the  community.  The  usual  gayeties 
attendant  upon  this  period  of  life,  would  be 
laid  aside ;  the  house  of  prayer  would  become 
the  place  of  resort;  and  then  the  downcast 
look,  the  falling  tear,  the  half  suppressed  sigh, 
would  plainly  indicate  the  presence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit ;  and  from  such  a  period,  the  work 
would  generally  move  on  with  increasing 
power,  '  till  as  many  as  were  ordained  to  eter- 
nal life  believed.' 

JMany  of  the  present  members  of  this  church, 
were  gathered  in,  from  this  revival.  By  them, 
it  will  never  be  forgotten ;  and  they  will  never 
fail  to  cherish  an  affectionate  remembrance  of 
him,  who  was  the  instrument  in  leading  their 
youthful  hearts  to  Christ.  Thus,  at  the  very 
commencement,  God  manifested  his  approba- 
tion of  the  choice  of  the  church,  by  crowning 
the  first  efforts  of  their  pastor,  with  abundant 
success.  The  beginning,  however,  is  bat  a 
specimen  of  the  entire  course  of  his  ministry. 
Revival  follows  upon  revival,  up  to  its  close. 
True,  there  were  years  of  comparative  unfruit- 
fulness.  This  of  course  must  take  place  in  a 
parish  like  this,  where  there  is  little  change  of 


49 


the  inhabitants,  and  where  the  same  families 
reside  year  after  year.  At  the  close  of  1814, 
the  church  numbered  one  hundred  and  eighty- 
five.  * 

The  next  general  revival,  under  the  ministry 
of  Mr.  Miner,  commenced  in  the  autumn  of 
1822.  The  record  of  baptisms  commences 
with  September  28th,  and  extends  to  April 
6th,  1823.  Most  of  the  members,  now  in  the 
meridian  of  life,  were  received  in  this  revival. 
Its  hallowed  seasons  of  prayer,  its  baptisms 
and  communions,  are  still  in  fresh  and  sweet 
remembrance.  Then  we  often  sang,  as  we 
still,  sing,  when  our  thoughts  wander  back  to 
this  bright  and  happy  period, 

'  Jesus  soiig-ht  me  when  a  stranger 
Wandering-  from  the  fold  of  God.' 

With  many  of  us,  these  were  the  days  of  child- 
hood. But  they  left  an  impression  upon  our 
hearts  which  I  trust  neither  time  nor  eternity 
will  ever  efface.  It  was  the  first  bright  spot  in 
our  existence,  the  enkindling  of  the  spiritual 
life  within  us,  the  lighting  up  in  our  Young,  yet 
benighted  minds,  of  the  hope  of  immortality. 

*  See  Appendix,  letter  G. 
5 


5a 


Of  the  numerous  subjects  of  this  work,  the 
greater  part  remam  until  the  present  time,  but 
some  have  fallen  asleep.  *  By  tliis  revival  the 
church  received  an  accession  of  fifty-one 
members,  making  the  whole  number  two 
hundred  and  thirty-one. 

February  14th,  1824,  deacon  Nathan  Chap- 
man died,  having  been  a  faithful  member  of  the 
church,  forty  years.  He  came  like  a  shock  of 
corn  fully  ripe  to  the  harvest.  Of  him  it  may 
truly  be  said,  that  he  *  used  the  office  of  a  dea- 
con well,  purchased  to  himself  a  good  degree 
and  great  boldness  in  the  faith.'  He  was 
succeeded  in  the  deaconship  by  his  son,  Sipith 
Chapman,  who  was  ordained  May  18th,  1826.1 

In  October,  1828,  another  awakening  com- 
menced, and  continued  through  the  following 
winter.  It  was  not,  however,  as  extensive  as 
the  one  preceding  it.  Twenty-seven  were 
added  by  baptism. 

In  1830,  the  old  house  in  which  the  fathers 
first  worshipped  having  become  dilapidated, 
and  in  many  respects  inconvenient,  the  pres- 
ent neat  and  comrr^odious  house  was  erected 

*  See  Appendix,  letter  H.        f  See  Appendix,  letter  L 


51. 


and  dedicated,  to  the  service  of  Almighty  God, 
with  appropriate  rehgious  exercises.  The 
sermon  was  preached  by  elder  John  Gano 
Whightman. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  summer  of  1831, 
another  revival  commenced,  from  which  twen- 
ty-five were  gathered  into  the  church,  making 
the  aggregate  number  two  hundred  and  thirty- 
two.  We  have  now  come  down  to  the  close 
of  Mr.  Miner's  ministry,  as  the  pastor  of  this 
church.  It  terminated  March  15th,  1834, 
embracing  a  period  of  twenty  years  ;  and, 
though  briefer  than  either  of  his  predecessors', 
yet  it  appears  long,  when  placed  by  the  side 
of  our  modern  system  of  pastoral  itinerancy. 
From  its  rise  up  to  this  period,  the  church  had 
enjoyed,  from  year  ;to  year,  the  steady,  un- 
broken ministrations  of  the  pastoral  office. 
During  ninety-one  years  it  had  but  four  pastors, 
and  under  their  labors,  had  advanced  from  a 
state  of  the  most  extreme  feebleness,  to  com- 
parative strength  and  prosperity.^ 

The  ministry  of  Mr.  Miner,  compared  with 
that  of  his  predecessors,  was  very  successful. 

*  See  Appendix,  letter  J. 


.52 


This  may  have  arisen,  partly  from  the  increase 
of  population,  and  partly  from  a  more  general 
diffusion  of  a  revival  spirit  in  the  churches, 
towards  the  close  of  his  labors. 

His  preaching,  however,  especially  as  em- 
bracing a  compass  of  twenty  years,  was  very 
effective.  His  discourses  were  rich  in  doctrinal, 
experimental,  and  practical  truth,  commingled 
and  combined,  in  a  manner  unusually  interest- 
ing and  instructive.  In  his  doctrinal  views, 
he  was  thoroughly  evangelical,  and,  like  his 
predecessors,  decidedly  calvinistic.  His  ser- 
mons were  often  marked  by  a  range  of  thought, 
and  strength  of  sentiment,  truly  astonishing 
in  a  man  of  so  limited  literary  advantages. 
It  hence  required  close  attention,  at  times,  to 
follow  him ;  and  on  this  account  he  was  re- 
garded by  some  as  dry  and  uninteresting,  but 
to  the  attentive,  thinking  hearer  he  was  al- 
ways instructive. 

That  he  had  imperfections,  is  doubtless  more 
than  probable ;  but  even  these  were  constitu- 
tional, rather  than  moral,  occasional,  rather 
than  habitual.  He  was  subject  to  a  depression 
of  mind,  which  induced  a  distrustfulness,  pain- 
ful in  the  extreme  to  himself,  and  sometimes 


53 


embarrassing  to  his  brethren.  But  from  this, 
he  would  soon  recover,  and  exhibit  his  wonted 
cheerfuhiess  and  usual  good  nature.  '  He  was 
a  good  man,  strong  in  the  faith,'  at  times  '  full 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,'  and  under  his  ministry 
*  much  people  were  added  to  the  Lord.' 

The  year  following  the  dismission  of  Mr. 
Miner,  the  church  enjoyed  another  season  of 
refreshing;  forty-five  were  received  by  bap- 
tism. During  the  years  1834,  1835,  1836,  and 
1837,  the  church  was  destitute  of  a  pastor. 

In  the  autumn  of  1837  another  awakening 
commenced,  and  as  the  fruit  of  it  forty  precious 
souls  were  gathered  into  the  fold  of  Christ. 
In  the  absence  of  a  pastor  during  these  years, 
*the  oversight  of  the  flock'  devolved  chiefly 
upon  the  deacons,  namely,  Samuel  Peabody 
and  Smith  Chapman;  and  of  the  fidelity,  with 
which  they  met  this  responsibility,  the  prosper- 
ity of  the  church,  while  under  their  care,  is  the 
best  proof  During  the  year  1838,  the  pulpit 
was  supplied  by  Rev.  Benjamin  N.  Harris; 
in  1839  by  Rev.  Cyrus  Miner.  April  1st,  1840, 
Rev.  Charles  Randall  became  the  pastor  of  the 
church;  under  his  ministry  during  this  year, 
thirty-six  were  added  by  baptism. 
5* 


54 


During  the  year  1812,  Mr.  Randall  being 
absent,  the  pulpit  was  chiefly  supplied  by  Rev. 
William  Flint.  Under  his  ministry,  thirty-five 
were  admitted  to  the  church  by  baptism.* 
June  17th,  of  this  year,  1843,  Mr.  Randall 
returned  and  resumed  the  pastoral  charge. 

We  have  thus  taken  a  hasty  glance  at  the 
histoiy  of  this  church.  Commencing  with  its 
rise,  one  hundred  years  ago,  we  have  followed 
it  in  its  progress  down  to  the  present  time. 
We  have  seen  it  small  at  first,  struggling  with 
popular  prejudice,  proscribed  by  the  civil  law ; 
yet  rising  and  gaining  strength,  under  the 
pressure  of  all  this  opposition. 

We  have  marked  its  steady,  onward  course, 
as  we  have  travelled  down  through  succeeding 
generations,  till  at  length  we  find,  that  the 
leaven  of  truth,  hid  a  century  since,  in  a  few 
faithful  hearts,  has  widely  diffused  itself 
throughout  community,  and  is  still  on  every 
side  extending.  How  marked  the  difference 
between  that  period  and  this.  Then  the 
church  sought  the  protection  of  the  state,  and 
the  state  assumed  to  be  the  guardian  of  chris- 

*  See  Appendix,  letter  L. 


55 


tianity.  But  now  the  church  claims  aUiance 
alone  with  her  great  spiritual  head,  lives, 
advances,  triumphs,  'not  by  might  nor  by 
power,'  but  by  the  indwelling  *  Spirit  of  God.' 
Then  clnistian  baptism  was  scarcely  known 
in  these  parts,  or  known  only  to  meet  with 
persecution  from  the  prevailing  church.  Now 
it  prevails  to  a  great  extent  in  all  denomina- 
tions, and  multitudes  are  buried  every  year  in 
the  likeness  of  the  Savior's  death.  Then 
there  was  but  one  Baptist  church  in  this  town, 
two  in  this  county,  and  but  three  or  four  in  this 
state.  Now  there  are  in  this  town,  five  Baptist 
churches,  and  in  the  state,  one  hundred  and 
eight.  Then  Pasdobaptism  everywhere  pre- 
vailed ;  now  it  is  rapidly  passing  away.  Then 
a  few  scattered  churches  of  our  faith,  were 
found  in  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island,  Con- 
necticut, and  New  Jersey.  Now  they  are 
everywhere  found  embracing  the  largest  popu- 
lation of  either  of  the  prevailing  denominations 
in  the  United  States.  We  speak  not  of  this 
boastingly;  as  a  denomination  we  have  noth- 
ing whereof  to  glory. 

Our  fathers  simply  preached  and  practiced 
the  truth,  and  left  it  to  work  its  own  way  and 


56 


win  its  own  triumphs;  and  in  proportion  as 
men  have  ventured  to  read  and  think  for  them- 
selves ;  in  proportion  as  the  authority  of  the 
New  Testament  has  prevailed  over  the  au- 
thority of  the  church  and  the  ministry;  in  that 
proportion  have  the  distinctive  sentiments  of 
the  Baptist  church  been  embraced. 

The  great  question  now  to  be  settled,  is  the 
same  which  has  ever  been  pending :  whether 
God,  or  man,  shall  be  supreme ;  whether 
human,  or  divine  authority  shall  be  regarded  ; 
whether  the  word  of  God,  or  the  word  of  man, 
shall  be  authoritative ;  whether  God  shall 
legislate  for  the  church,  or  the  church  legislate 
for  herself. 

This  question  has  all  along  agitated  the 
world  ;  and  will  continue  to  do  so,  till  christians, 
casting  off  all  alliance  with  vain  traditions 
received  from  the  fathers,  come  fully  to  the 
Bible  and  bow  to  its  authority.  The  light 
which  a  portion  of  the  evangelical  church  has 
refused  to  receive,  because  reflected  from  a 
point  repulsive  to  its  sectional  prejudices,  it 
will  nevertheless  be  constrained  to  follow,  or 
strike  hands  with  those  who  deny  the  exclu- 
sive authority  of  the  Bible  in  points  of  faith 


61 


and  practice,  and  wander  back  amid  the  laby- 
rinths of  human  traditions  to  Pvome  itself. 

God  hasten  the  day,  when  we  shall  all  come 
to  the  unity  of  the  faith,  '  having  one  Lord, 
one  FAITH,  one  baptism,  one  God  and  Father 
of  all,  who  is  above  all  and  in  all.' 

In  view  of  the  past,  we  are  led  to  exclaim, 
'  what  hath  God  wi-ought  I '  Surely  he  that  is 
mighty,  hath  done  marvellous  things.  His 
mercy  is  on  them  that  fear  him,  from  genera- 
tion to  generation.  He  hath  showed  strength 
with  his  arm ;  he  hath  scattered  the  proud,  in 
the  imagination  of  their  hearts ;  he  hath  put 
down  the  mighty  from  their  seats,  and  exalted 
them  of  low  degree. 

The  history  of  this  church  illustrates  the 
efficiency  of  our  peculiar  form  of  government. 
That  government  is  strictly  congregational  — 
strictly  mdcpendent.  Each  church  controls 
itself,  administers  its  own  discipline,  receives 
and  exchides  its  own  members,  chooses  and 
calls  to  ordination  its  own  pastors ;  disciplines, 
dismisses,  and  deposes  them  by  its  own  inde- 
pendent authority.  It  may  ask  the  advice  of 
other  churches,  but  is  not  hound  to  do  so.  It 
may  convoke  a  council,  y6>r  counsel,  but  for  noth- 


58 


ing  farther.  The  executive  power  is  in  the 
church ;  the  disciphne  must  be  its  own,  and 
from  its  decisions,  there  can  be  no  legitimate 
appeal.  The  voice  of  a  majority  of  the  male 
meonhers  of  a  Baptist  church,  must,  in  all  cases 
of  discipline,  be  decisive. 

Such,  at  least,  are  the  principles,  by  which 
this  church,  in  its  government,  has  ever  been 
controlled;  and  few  churches,  it  is  believed, 
during  the  same  number  of  years,  have  enjoyed 
more  internal  quietness  and  harmony. 

In  closing,  we  can  but  remark,  that  we  are 
forcibly  reminded  of  the  extreme  brevity  of 
life ;  of  the  transitory  nature  of  all  earthly 
relations,  religious,  as  well  as  social  and 
domestic.  '  The  fathers,  where  are  they  ?  and 
the  prophets,  do  they  live  forever?'  The 
peculiar  services  and  associations  of  this  day 
answer  no.  The  children  and  the  children's 
children  are  here ;  but  the  fathers  with  their 
whitened  locks,  and  the  prophets  with  their 
hoary  heads,  where  are  they  ?  Alas,  with  but 
a  few  exceptions,  they  are  gone,  all  gone. 
But  a  few  years  since  they  were  here,  meeting 
the  high  responsibilities,  and  discharging  the 
important  duties  which  we  this  morning  have 
been  reviewing. 


59 


Soon  we  with  them  shall  have  passed  away. 
Another  century  will  have  rolled  by ;  another 
congregation  will  be  here  gathered,  and  other 
lips  will  be  employed  in  detailing  the  history 
of  this  church  through  another  one  hundred 

YEARS. 

What  the  commencement  of  that  history 
shall  be,  is  put  within  your  power,  my  brethren, 
to  determine.  Standing  as  you  do  at  the 
opening  of  another  century  in  your  history,  will 
you  not  lift  up  your  hearts  to  the  God  of  your 
fathers,  and  say,  in  the  language  of  inspiration, 
'  Let  thy  work  appear  unto  thy  servants,  and 
thy  glory  unto  their  children,  and  let  the  beauty 
of  the  Lord  our  God  be  upon  us,  and  establish 
thou  the  work  of  our  hands  upon  us,  yea  the 
work  of  our  hands,  estabhsh  thou  it  ? ' 


APPENDIX. 


A. 

An  anecdote  has  come  down  to  us^  which  may 
throw  some  light  upon  the  different  views,  enter- 
tained by  the  pastor  and  people,  on  this  point. 
It  was  the  custom  of  this  church,  it  seems,  though 
opposed  to  paying  a  stated  salary,  to  assist  their 
minister,  by  making  him  presents  of  grain  and  other 
necessaries  of  life.  On  a  certain  time,  one  of  the 
brethren,  not  wholly  unmindful  of  his  duty  in  this 
respect,  laded  his  beast  with  wheat,  and  proceeded 
to  the  house  of  his  pastor.  «But  the  good  pastor, 
w^ho,  in  this  instance,  at  least,  seems  to  have  been 
more  nice  than  wise,  replied,  that  he  could  not  re- 
ceive it  as  a  gift,  but  would  take  it  if  it  might  be 
regarded  as  his  due  ;  whereupon  the  brother,  with  as 
little  regard  to  charity  as  the  pastor  had  to  policy, 
abruptly  turned  homewards,  carrying  back  with  him 
his  wheat.  It  is  not  strange,  that  such  austerity  of 
principle  and  manners,  on  both  sides,  should  have 
produced  unpleasant  collisions. 

B. 

Mr.  Brown,  though  unbaptized,  had  for  a  number 
of  years  been  a  deacon  of  the  open  communion 


61 


Baptist  church  in  Westerly,  R.  L,  under  the  pastoral 
care  of  Stephen  Babcock.  They  walked  together 
in  harmony  for  some  years,  till  a  division  arose  in 
the  church,  about  what  was  then  called  the  divine 
testimony ;  the  pastor  and  a  certain  portion  of  the 
church  maintaining,  that  all  questions  of  discipline 
were  to  be  settled  by  certain  impulses  and  impres- 
sions, and  the  deacon  with  the  other  party,  maintain- 
ing that  such  questions  were  to  be  decided  by  the 
word  of  God  and  moral  evidence.  The  spirit  of 
delusion,  however,  in  regard  to  the  divine  testimony, 
prevailed ;  and  deacon  Brown,  with  his  adherents, 
withdrew  and  formed  the  Second  Baptist  Church 
in  this  town. 

C. 

The  life  and  times  of  Joshua  Morse,  are  intimately 
connected  with  the  early  history  of  this  church. 
The  year  following  its  constitution,  we  fuid  him 
preaching  in  this  town,  with  evident  tokens  of  the 
divine  approbation ;  yet  encountering  strong  opposi- 
tion from  the  clergy  of  the  established  order.  Though 
a  youth,  his  ministry  seems  to  have  been  distin- 
guished by  the  strength  and  manliness  of  riper 
years.  His  manner  is  said  to  have  been  unusually 
commanding  and  impressive,  and  warmed  with  such 
a  glow  of  feeling,  as  often  to  dissolve  his  congi-ega- 
tion  in  tears.  Zealous,  ardent,  impassioned,  bring- 
6     • 


62 


ing  fa  Ms  ministry  the  freshness  of  religions  experf^ 
ence,  with  a  heart  burning  for  the  conversion  of 
souls/  it  is  not  strang-B^  that  the  people  flocked  to 
hear  the  gospel  from  his  lips.  Nor  is  it  strange,  that 
the  jealousy  of  the  dominant  ministry  was  excited, 
or  that  the  arm  of  persecution  was  stretched  out, 
when  we  remember  the  character  of  that  ministry, 
both  in  its  civil  and  religious  relations.  On  the  one 
hand,  it  was  sentimentally  opposed  to  evangelical 
piety,  and  on  the  other,  from  its  alliance  with  the 
state,  it  felt  itself  called  upon  to  resist  all  innovations 
upon  the  established  forms  of  worship.  It  was,  per- 
haps, as  pure  as  a  ministry  could  be,  associated  as  it 
was  with  the  state  ;  as  little  inclined  to  persecution^ 
as  any  ministry  would  be,  which  might,  if  it  would, 
bring  to  its  support,  the  power  and  penalty  of  law. 
Still  it  is  historically  true,  that  it  was  strongly  opposed 
to  evangelical  doctrine,  and  experimental  religion. 
Men  were  then  educated  for  the  ministry  as  a  profes- 
sion^ without  a  previous  preparation  of  heart,  and 
call  thereto,  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  is  not  strange,, 
therefore,  that  spirituality  languished.  What  little 
was  still  living,  lived  in  the  bosoms  of  the  older 
members,  who  had  enjoyed  the  benefits  of  a  purer 
ministry.  Tlie  rising  generation  was  coming  up-^ 
destitute  of  all  experimental  and  practical  piety,  and 
what  Was  worse,  was  coming  into  the  church  in 
this  state. 

In  this  state  of  things,  it  is  but  natural  to  suppose. 


63 


that  the  lighting  up  of  the  flame  of  a  glorious  revival, 
would  produce  a  concussion  in  the  religious  atmos- 
pherej  and  wake  into  collision,  the  great  antagonist 
principles  of  moral  truth  and  falsehood. 

Mr.  Morse  was  among  the  number  of  those  faith- 
ful pioneers,  who  shared  most  largely,  in  the  trials 
and  sufferings  of  this  great  religious  conflict  Ston- 
ington  appears  to  have  been  the  field  of  his  earliest 
labors,  as  it  certainly  was  of  his  earliest  sufferings. 
At  that  time,  this  was  the  only  Baptist  church  in 
this  town.  It  is  hence  more  than  probable,  that 
he  often  preached  to  this  people.  There  was  also  a 
small  meeting-house,  located  a  few  miles  north  of 
the  village  of  Pawcatuc,  where  the  Baptists  and 
Separates  were  accustomed  to  unite  in  worship. 
These  were  dark  and  troublous  times,  when  the 
little  flock  of  Christ,  persecuted  by  the  nominal 
church,  were  constrained  to  seek  out  for  themselves 
a  retreat,  where  ihey  might  build  their  altars,  and 
offer  up  their  sphitual  sacrifices  of  praise  to  God. 
Here,  we  are  told,  these  faithful  men  of  God  were 
accustomed  to  deliver  their  messages  of  grace,  with 
that  unction  so  peculiar  to  the  evangelical  ministry 
of  that  day. 

The  preaching  of  Mr.  Morse  in  Stonington,  was 
attended  with  success ;  a  revival  of  religion  in  the 
vicinity  of  this  church  was  in  progress,  when  he 
was  arrested  and  carried  before  the  magistrate. 
While  the  trial  was  pending,  the  wife  of  the  magis- 


64 


trate,  is  said  to  have  besought  him  with  tears,  not  to 
give  judgment  against  so  innocent  and  holy  a  man  ; 
but  the  influence  of  the  clergy,  and  the  clamors  of 
a  set  of  bigoted  gentry,  who  declared  that  his 
preaching  was  not  according  to  law,  prevailed ',  and 
he  was  sentenced  to  pay  a  fine  of  twenty  shillings,  or 
receive  ten  lashes  at  the  whipping  post.  The  fine 
he  could  not  pay,  and  he  was  taken  to  the  place  of 
punishment ;  but  while  the  constable  was  preparing 
to  inflict  the  stripes,  Mr.  Morse  is  said  to  have 
addressed  him  thus  :  ^  Well,  my  friend,  I  suppose 
you  must  do  your  duty,  but  remember  that  when 
you  strike  me,  you  strike  one  of  God's  dear  children.' 
The  simplicity  and  tenderness  with  which  he  spoke, 
drew  tears  from  the  stout-hearted  man,  and  he  refused 
to  execute  the  barbarous  penalty,  pronounced  the 
law  unjust,  reproached  the  court  for  cruelty,  and 
with  a  truly  noble  generosity,  paid  the  fine,  and 
released  the  innocent  sufferer. 

On  another  occasion,  as  he  was  preaching,  a  clergy- 
man came  in,  put  his  hand  upon  his  mouth,  and  com- 
manded a  man  who  accompanied  him  to  strike  him. 

At  another  time,  while  preaching  in  the  south  part 
of  the  town,  two  men  rushed  in,  and  with  violent 
blows  brought  him  to  the  floor.  When  he  had 
recovered  a  little,  he  looked  upon  them,  and  said, 
^  My  friends,  if  you  die  natural  deaths,  the  Lord  hath 
not  spoken  by  me.'  The  word  of  the  Lord  was  not 
in  vain.     Both  perished  in  the  deep. 


65 


At  another  time,  while  engaged  in  prayer,  he 
was  knocked  down,  dragged  liy  the  hair  down  a 
flight  of  steps  into  the  street,  and  was  there  beaten 
in  the  most  inhuman  manner.  A  gash  on  his  face 
was  laid  open  so  deep,  that  he  carried  the  scar  to  his 
grave. 

On  another  occasion,  the  house  where  he  was 
preaching,  was  surrounded  by  a  gang  of  the  elite 
and  fashionable  of  the  town,  who  had  bound. them- 
selves by  an  oath  that  they  would  kill  him  when- 
ever he  came  out.  His  wife  and  friends  entreated 
him  with  tears,  not  to  commit  himself  to  the  infuri- 
ated rabble.  But  he  replied,  ^what  mean  ye  to 
weep  and  to  break  my  heart  !^  Accordingly,  he 
went  out,  and  finding  the  mob  armed  with  clubs,  he 
lifted  up  his  hands  and  began  to  pray  for  his  enemies. 
The  result  was,  they  were  confounded  and  subdued, 
and  some,  convinced  of  their  wickedness  in  perse- 
cuting so  good  a  man,  begged  his  pardon  and  retired. 

We  speak  not  of  these  things  in  this  place  to 
enkindle  resentment,  much  less  to  excite  an  unholy 
prejudice,  towards  any  portion  of  the  existing  evan- 
gelical church  ;  but  as  matters  of  history ;  as  inci- 
dents full  of  interest  to  ourselves,  and  of  instruction 
to  others. 

It  is  surely  a  matter  of  no  small  importance  to  us 

to  know  minutely  these  incidents  of  our  early  history — 

these  sufferings,  through  which  our  fathers  passed, 

in  procuring  for  us,  the  high  immunities  of  religious 

6# 


66 


freedom,  in  transmitting  to  ns  in  their  purity  the 
precious  doctrines  and  ordinances  of  the  gospel. 

They  were  engaged  in  a  mighty  struggle  with  a 
dominant,  but  nominal  church.  They  fought  the  battle 
well,  achieved  a  glorious  victory,  and  we  enjoy  the 
fruits.  But  let  us  never  forget  that  the  weapons  of 
their  warfare  were  spiritual^  and  were,  therefore, 
mighty  through  God,  to  the  pulling  down  of  the 
strong  holds  of  Satan,  both  in  church  and  state.  It 
was  by  a  simple  ^  manifestation  of  the  truth,  com- 
mending themselves  to  every  man's  conscience  in 
the  sight  of  God,'  that  they  obtained  these  splendid 
victories.  ^  Through  faith  they  overcame  the  world, 
wrought  righteousness,  obtained  promises,  out  of 
weakness  were  made  strong,  waxed  valiant  in  fight, 
and  turned  to  flight  the  armies  of  the  aliens.^ 

In  despite  of  all  opposition,  Mr.  Morse  continued 
his  labors  in  this  town  with  great  success  ;  the  truth 
prevailed,  converts  were  multiplied,  and  the  feeble 
church  was  strenj^hened  and  increased. 


D. 


In  1782,  is  found  the  first  record  of  the  appoint- 
ment of  messengers  to  the  Association.  Yet,  as 
appears  from  the  manuscript  minutes  of  that  body, 
it  held  its  fifth  annual  session  with  this  church, 
October  2d,  1775. 

The  association  was  formed  in   Lyme,    October 


67 


7th,  1772.  At  its  session  in  1775^  in  Groton^  the 
pastor  of  this  church  was  chosen  moderator.  The 
primary  design  of  the  association,  seems  to  have 
been  to  settle  certain  existing  difficulties,  and  to 
unite  the  churches,  upon  some  general  principles  of 
faith  and  discipline.  Hence  at  their  first  session 
they  recommended  to  the  churches,  to  adopt  the 
English  Baptist  confession  of  faith,  and  the  minutes 
of  the  following  year  show,  that  it  was  generally 
complied  with. 

They  say  as  follows :  The  delegates  made  re- 
turns, that  the  churches  generally  acquiesced  in  the 
doings  of  the  last  association,  namely :  not  to  covenant 
and  build  with  Congregational  members  that  hold  to 
the  practice  of  infant  sprinkling,  nor  to  commune  with 
them  at  the  Lord-s  table;  and  also  to  adopt  the 
English  Baptist  articles. 

In  the  minutes  of  the  same  year  the  following 
record  is  found :  '  Some  mention  was  made  that 
elder  Eliezer  Brown,  had  a  member  in  his  church  that 
communed  with  those  who  were  only  sprinkled  for 
baptism,  which  was  a  grief  to  the  association,  and 
they  requested  elder  Brown,  to  let  his  church  know, 
that  they  requested  a  reformation  in  this  matter.' 
Yet  no  notice  is  found  of  this,  in  the  records  of  the 
church.  It  was  doubtless  an  exception  to  their  gen- 
eral practice,  though  it  is  by  no  means  certain,  that 
the  church  did  not,  during  a  few  of  the  first  years  of 
its  existence,  allow  this  mixed  communion. 


68 


Mr.  Palmer  at  this  time,  resided  in  Preston,  and 
maintained  public  worship  in  his  own  house.  He 
gathered  a  small  congregation,  baptized  a  number 
of  individuals,  who  placed  themselves  under  the 
watch  care  of  this  church.  There  is  now  in  Preston 
a  flourishing  Baptist  church. 

F. 

It  is  interesting  to  notice  the  doings  of  the  associ- 
ations of  these  times,  as  they  throw  light  upon  the 
prevailing  sentiments  of  the  churches,  relative /to 
many  interesting  questions. 

In  the  minutes  of  this  year,  the  twelfth  item  is  as 
follows.  In  answer  to  a  question  proposed  by  Joshua 
Morse,  respecting  the  validity  of  baptism,  adminis- 
tered by  a  person  who  had  never  been  himself  bap- 
tized, nor  yet  ordained,  it  was  replied,  that  under 
the  present  circumstances  of  the  church,  such  bap- 
tism is  deemed  null  and  void.  In  1 790,  the  association 
met  with  the  Second  Baptist  Church  in  this  town. 
The  introductory  sermon  was  preached  by  the 
venerable  Isaac  Backus,  from  1  Samuel,  xxii.  1,  2. 

G. 

In  October,  1816,  the  legislature  of  Connecticut 
passed  an  act  entitled  an  act  for  the  support  of  litera- 


69 


ture  and  religion ;  the  design  of  which  was,  to  dis- 
tribute to  the  various  sects,  a  certain  amount  of 
surplus  revenue. 

February  1st.  1817,  as  the  records  state,  the  church 
met  for  the  purpose  of  expressing  their  opinion  con- 
cerning this  act,  and,  after  some  consultation,  unani- 
mously agreed  in  disapproving  it  ]  and  passed  several 
resolutions,  which  were  forwarded  for  publication  to 
one  or  more  of  the  public  new^spapers  in  this  state. 
The  law  w^ent  into  effect.  But  this  church,  true  to 
the  great  principles  of  our  ecclesiastical  policy, 
resisting  with  a  becoming  jealousy  all  overtures 
from  the  civil  power,  persevered  in  their  hostility  to 
the  act. 

Hence,  March  11th,  1820,  the  church  and  society 
met  and  passed  the  following  resolution.  Resolved, 
that  we  do  not  w^ish  to  receive  our  part  of  the 
money  granted  to  the  Baptist  denomination  by  the 
legislature  of  this  state. 

We  admire  this  stern  integrity,  this  indomitable 
fidelity  to  the  great  principles  of  religious  purity  and 
freedom.  This  church  knew  too  well,  the  baneful 
effects  of  state  patronage,  to  be  tempted  into  so  un- 
holy an  alliance.  The  history  of  her  early  suffer- 
ings therefrom  w^as  rK)t  entirely  forgotten,  and  though 
there  might  be  no  apparent^  no  real  danger,  yet  would 
she  not  be  tempted  to  violate  in  practice  one  of  the 
most  vital  principles  of  her  religious  constitution. 


70 
H. 


We  cannot  forbear  to  mention  in  this  place,  the  name 
of  Ralph  I.  Brown.  He  was  baptized  September 
29th,  1822.  He  early  devoted  himself  to  the  work 
of  the  ministry  ]  had  entered  upon  a  course  of  study  ] 
when  his  life  was  suddenly  terminated,  October  27th, 
1833.  The  particulars  of  his  brief  life,  and  of  his 
happy,  triumphant  death,  have  been  sketched  with 
vivid  truthfulness,  in  a  little  volume  by  the  Rev. 
Bradley  Miner. 

I. 

It  has  always  been  the  custom  of  this  church  in 
the  ordination  of  deacons,  to  have  them  examined 
by  a  council,  concerning  their  religious  experience, 
views  of  doctrine,  &c.  &c.  &c.  Nor  can  we  regard 
this  as  unnecessary.  The  office  of  a  deacon  is 
responsible^  influential^  important^  and  men  ought  by 
no  means  to  be  admitted  to  it,  of  whose  soundness 
in  the  faith,  we  have  not  the  most  satisfactory  proof. 
It  is  believed,  that  one  prolific  source  of  difficulty 
in  our  churches,  is  to  be  found  in  the  hasty,  informal 
admission  of  men  to  this  responsible  station. 

If  anywhere  in  the  church,  we  need  men  of 
strong  minds,  clear  heads,  and  good  hearts^  we  need 
them  here.  It  has  thus  far  been  the  good  fortune  of 
this  church  to  have  men  of  this  stamp  in  this  office. 


71 


MINISTERS   WHO   HAVE   BELONGED  TO  THIS    CHUKCH. 


WAIT  PALMER, 

Pastor  22 

years. 

ELIEZER  BROWN, 

do. 

25 

do. 

PELEG  RANDALL, 

do. 

23 

do. 

ABEL  PALMER, 

CHRISTOPHER  PALMER, 

REUBEN  PALMER, 

ABEL  BROWN, 

JONATHAN  MINER, 

do. 

2a 

do. 

GERSHOM  PALMER, 

PAUL  MAIN, 

BENJAMIN  N  HARRIS, 

do. 

1  1-2  do. 

CYRUS  MINER, 

do. 

1 

do. 

ALBERT  G.  PALMER, 

do. 

1 

do. 

CHARLES  RANDALL, 

do. 

1 

do. 

WILLIAM  FLINT, 

do. 

1 

do. 

K. 


The  Deacons  who  have  served  the-  church,  are  as  follows : 

ALLEN  BREED, 
NATHAN  RANDALL, 
NATHAN  CHAPMAN, 
SAMUEL  PEABODY, 
SMITH  CHAPMAN, 
REUBEN  CHAPMAN, 
AARON  THOMPSON, 
SANFORD  MAIN, 
PAUL  GREEN. 

The  last  four  are  the  present  deacons. 


7^     . 

L, 

SPECIAL  AWAKENINGS. 

1792.  52,     baptized  by    Mr.  Brown. 

1S14.  5G,] 

1822.  51,  f        ,;  ,.     -,.. 

1S28.  2l\  \  ^^-  ^^"^^^• 

.1831.  25,  J 

1834.  45,  / 


No  Pastor. 

Mr.  Randi 
1842.    35,  "  Mr.  Flint. 


1837.    40,  j 

1840.    36,  «  Mr.  Randall. 


M, 

The  following  individuals  are  supposed  to  have 
been  among  the  first  members  of  the  church.  Their 
names  are  found  in  the  old  deed  of  the  lot  of  land 
upon  which  their  first  meeting-house  was  built. 

JONATHAN  BIRCH, 
JOSHUA  HOLMES, 
THOMAS  MAINE, 
JOSHUA  RATHBUN, 
WILLIAM  PALMER. 

The  lot  was  given  by  Daniel  Brown  and 
Thomas  Holmes. 


YA  041  I  I 


ivi3167G0 


